Raleigh woman donates 120 coats to people in need

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Raleigh, N.C. — A Raleigh woman is helping those in need stay warm this winter in her very own way.

Liza Coonse used social media to launch a coat drive to benefit the Raleigh Rescue Mission.

"How is it, I'm in my heated home, under a heated blanket when there are people who don't have homes," Coonse said.

She said it all started with a shopping trip to her neighborhood Target where she spotted a rack of fleece coats on sale.

"I wondered what they cost and they were $4.50. And I thought well, we just had Christmas, there were a lot of expenses, but I can't walk away from $4.50, I'll get two. I'll keep two people warm," she said.

Coonse decided to let her Facebook friends in on her bargain and her plan to donate to a homeless shelter. She said her friends liked the idea so much, they joined in.

"I changed my status to say, would you like me to pick you up coats on your behalf? You can just get the money to me," she said. "The next thing I knew before the end of the night, we had 25."

Coonse said since Wednesday she has collected 120 coats, all sponsored by her social media community.

"I feel like that is what social media is for, finding ways to connect people in positive ways," she said.

Coonse said that she received donations from friends as far away as California.